Office furniture



Feb. 27, 1934. F Q PETERSON l,949,326

Feb. 27, 1934. F. 0, PETERSQN 1,949,326

FURNITURE Filed Feb. 24, 195o 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Feb. 27, 1934 ETE STTS FFICE 7 claims.

This invention relates to improvements in office furniture, and more particularly to a combined desk and filing cabinet.

One of the salient features of the invention is e to provide a desk having the appearance of the conventional flat top desk, and yet specifically constructed to house a filing system. In accordance with the invention, the central portion of the desk forms a tub or receptacle designed io to contain filing jackets, said receptacle having a hinged cover to permit access to the file jackets When the cover is raised.

Another object is to furnish a combination of this character, in Which the central receptacle may be readily detached from the drawer sections of the desk, not alone to facilitate handling and storage, but to allow the combination to be employed strictly as a filing cabinet Where this is desired.

A still further object is to provide a filing cabinet having the appearance of an ordinary flat top desk, Whereby the combination Will answer both purposes, and will not betray the fact that it is a filing oabinet to those Who are unfamiliar With the construction of the combination.

Another object is to provide a combination desk and filing cabinet, the top of Which is unbroken and forms a large plane surface which may be used similar to the top of an Ordinary fiat top desk.

A further object is to furnish a combination of this kind, in Which the central receptacle or tub is provided With a false or swinging front to allow said front to be arranged out of the Way of the knees of the user of the combination, When the combination is employed similar to a flat top desk.

With the foregoing objects outlined and with Other objects in view Which Will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel features hereinafter described in detail, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the combination assembled similar to a flat top desk, and with the drawers and swinging cover closed.

5o Fig. 2 is a similar view but showing the central receptacle detached from the inner sides of the drawer sections, and superposed on the latter.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 1, .but showing the swinging top of the receptacle in open position, and one of the drawers extendini,T forwardly.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary front elevation of the combination, partly in vertical section, to illustrate the means for detachably mounting the re- (59 ceptacle or tub between the drawer sections.

Fig. 5 is a vertical Sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

In the drawings, 6 designates the ends or drawer sections, each preferably provided With a number of drawers 7 of a size especially7 suitable for filing cards 8 or the like. A sliding board 9 is provided at the top portion of each drawer section, similar to the boards used With l the Ordinary flat top desk, and the top 10 of each drawer section has a plane upper surface that is designed to lie flush With the plane upper surface of the hinged top 11 of a central receptacle or tub.

In accordance with the present invention, the tub 12 may be detachably connected to the sides of the drawer sections, and for this purpose, opposite ends of the tub are provided with projecting headed pins 13, designed to engage forks 14 that are secured to the inner sides of the drawer 8o sections. Such a construction Will permit the tub to be detached from the drawer sections, by simply lifting the tub upwardly While the drawer sections remain stationary. This feature of the invention allows the tub to be detached and then 35 superposed cn the drawer sections When the latter are moved into contact with one another, as shown in Fig. 2.

It may be seen from Fig. 5 that the tub is rela- V V tively deep in comparison with the Ordinary drawer used at the central portion of a flat top desk, and consequently, the tub may oonveniently house a double row of file jackets; a portion of the front Wall 15 of the tub extending forwardly and upwardly to facilitate handling and arranging the jackets.

Forwardly of the Wall 15, the tub is provided With a swinging panel 16 Which is hingedly supported at its upper edge 17, and consequently, may assume a vertical position, as shown in Fig. 150 2, or an inclined position parallel to the wall 15, as illustrated in Fig. 5. For the purpose of holdng the panel in either of these positions, the side edges of the panel and the side walls of the tub are provided with suitable fastening devices, such as spring pressed ball and socket fasteners 18. The panel may also have finger knobs 19 to facilitate movement of the same.

A combination of this character has the appearance, When assembled, of an Ordinary flat na? top desk, as shown in Fig. 1, and therefore, if the structure is used in an environment where it is desirable to ccnceal the fact that it houses a filing system, the external appearance of the combination will not betray the fact that it is a filing device. On the other hand, when used for filing purposes, an operator, sitting at the desk, may readily view and reach any one of the cards or jackets.

When it is desired to use the structure simply as a filing cabinet, it may be brought into the more compact form shown in Fig. 2.

From the foregoing it is believed that the construction, operation and advantages of the invention may be readily understood by those skilled in the art, and I am aware that changes may be made in the details disclosed, without departing from the spirit of the invention, as expressed in the claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A flat top filing desk comprising side drawer sections and a central tub section, means detachably connecting said sections together, each section having a top board, the upper surfaces of the boards forming a plane unbroken surface for the top of the desk, the front wall of the tub section having a portion which is inclined forwardly and upwardly, a panel having its upper edge portion hingedly mounted on the front of the tub section, and means for securing said panel in a vertical position, or in a position substantially parallel to the inclined portion of the front wall of the tub section. p

2. A flat top filing desk comprising side sections and a central section, each of said sections having a top board, the upper surfaces of the top boards forming a plane unbroken surface, the top board of the central section being hingedly connected to the rear end of that section, said central section having a receding front wall, and a hinged panel depending from said front wall.

3. A flat top desk including a central section and end sections detachably connected together, the central section being of less height than the end sections and being supported in its entirety by the latter, each of said sections having a top board, the top board of the central section being substantially twice as wide as the top board of each of the end sections and the top boards of the end sections being equal in width, the upper surfaces of the top boards of all of the sections forming a plane unobstructed surface for the top of the desk.

4. A flat top desk including a central section and end sections detachably connected together, the central section being of less height than the end sections and being supported in its entirety by the latter, each of said sections having a top board, the top board of the central section being substantially twice as wide as the top board of each of the end sections and the top boards of the end sections being equal in width, the upper surfaces of the top boards of all of the sections forming a plane unobstructed surface for the top of the desk, one of the top boards extending from front to rear of the desk and having its rear end hinged to its respective section to permit access to the interior of that section from the front of the desk.

5. A flat top desk including a central section and end sections detachably connected together, the central section being of less height than the end sections and being supported in its entirety by the latter, each of said sections having a top board, the top board of the central section being substantially twice as wide as the top board of each of the end sections and the top boards of the end sections being equal in width, the upper surfaces of the top boards of all of the sections forming a plane unobstructed surface for the top of the desk, the central section forming a tub, and the top board of said tub being hingedly connected at its rear end to the rear wall of the tub.

6. A flat top desk including a central section and end sections detachably connected together, the central section being of less height than the end sections and being supported in its entirety by the latter, each of said sections having a top board, the top board of the central section being substantially twice as wide as the top board of each of the end sections and the top boards of the end sections being equal in width, the upper surfaces of the top boards of all of the sections forming a plane unobstructed surface for the top of the desk, a panel having its upper edge portion hingedly mounted on the front of the tub section, and means for securing said panel in a vertical position, or in a position inclined to the vertical.

7. A flat top desk including a central section and end sections detachably connected together, the central section being of less height than the end sections and being supported in its entirety by the latter, each of said sections having a top board, the top board of the central section being substantially twice as wide as the top board of each of the end sections and the top boards of the end sections being equal in width, the upper Isurfaces of the top boards of all of the sections forming a plane unobstructed surface for the top of the desk, each of the end sections being provided with forwardly opening superposed drawers.

FRANCIS O. PETERSON. 

